Radiohead's Thom Yorke
Photo: Jo Hale/ Getty Images

Radiohead have announced their tour plans for 2008, but if you're expecting a traditional itinerary ... well, then you really don't know Radiohead. The band has started sketching out cities and dates for next year on its Web site, but the info is only complete for three shows — and tickets are on sale for all of them: June 18 in Milan, Italy; June 20 at Germany's Hurricane Festival; and June 22 at the same country's Southside Festival. The band is also booked for Denmark's Roskilde festival and Belgium's Rock Werchter Festival, both of which will be held July 3-6. Paris; Barcelona, Spain; Dublin, Ireland; London; Berlin and other major European cities are also on the menu. ...

Seems all that "Tattoo" talk has gone to Jordin Sparks' head. The "American Idol" victor — whose new self-titled debut isn't doing so hot in record stores these days — told the San Francisco Chronicle that she decided to get a tattoo of her own after shooting the video for her latest single, "Tattoo." Sparks first asked her mother — "I would feel really bad if I did it without telling her," she said — who replied that she would get a tattoo with her daughter after she turns 18 on December 22. The singer said the tattoo will feature her brother P.J.'s name "in a nice script." ... Ashley Tisdale's performance at the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting in New York on Wednesday apparently went off with a hitch — video circulating online seems to show the "High School Musical" star lip-syncing "Last Christmas" out of step with the pre-recorded tape. Could Ashley have something in common with another Ashlee? ...

Amy Winehouse's father is speaking out regarding the singer's recent cancellation of the remainder of her 2007 concert dates and public appearances, according to BBC News. Mitch Winehouse reportedly said his daughter is "sorry for fans," that her decision to rest is "is in her best interests" — and that "all options" were being taken into consideration over whether she would go to rehab, where she had reportedly been treated earlier this year. Amy Winehouse nixed the rest of her '07 tour plans on Tuesday, saying in a statement, "I can't give it my all onstage without my [husband] Blake [Fielder-Civil]." Her husband was arrested in the U.K. earlier this month and formally charged with one count of "attempting to pervert the court of justice," or the U.S. equivalent of obstruction of justice, in connection with an alleged $400,000 plot to fix a trial. ...

Deerhunter, the Black Lips, Mastodon and more are featured in "We Fun: Atlanta, Ga.: Inside/Out," a new documentary that is acting as the companion piece to "Athens, Ga.: Inside/Out," which came out in 1987. The flick's MySpace page has much more info, including ways to help donate to the production. ... Rare silk-screened, autographed gig posters relating to the Arcade Fire, Spoon and Superchunk are being featured in Merge Records' new eBay auction benefiting Oxfam America and the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. The revered indie label, which calls Chapel Hill home, is also putting up M. Ward, Destroyer and Robert Pollard posters — the Arcade Fire one is already going for $531. ...

Expect to find Lil Wayne, Cee-Lo, Bilal, Floetry's Marsha Ambrosius and Q-Tip on the upcoming album by Solange Knowles. Solange & the Hadley Street Dreams, due in 2008, will also feature, more bizarrely, a sample from long-running down-tempo duo Boards of Canada. ... The Warner Music Group posted a big loss on Wednesday (November 29) — a 58 percent drop in its quarterly profit, according to Reuters. Sales from digital music were up 25 percent during the quarter, but the decline in CD sales dwarfed that gain. U.S. album sales are down 14 percent this year. ... Moby tracks might not be as prized these days as they were back in 1999, but the musician is giving some of them away for free all the same on a new portion of his Web site. He's giving away music to be used by indie and nonprofit filmmakers, film students and people — so long as it's used in a non-commercial or non-profit film, video or short. ...

Critics' albums-of-the-year lists are popping up left and right, but what about the King of Horror's two cents? Stephen King — who is a member of Rock Bottom Remainders, the literary all-star squad that also features Matt Groening and others — rolls out his own list in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, which streets December 7. Steve Earle's Washington Square Serenade is his favorite album of the year, with Wilco's Sky Blue Sky and Lyle Lovett and His Large Band's It's Not Big It's Large following behind. Rounding out his list are Ozzy Osbourne's Black Rain, John Fogerty's Revival and Southern Culture on the Skids' Countrypolitan Favorites. ...

Nick Bollea, Hulk Hogan's son, was driving around 100 mph when he crashed his car in late August, according to reported police records released Tuesday, but his attorney is denying the claim. "The scientific evidence doesn't support anything like that," Morris "Sandy" Weinberg told the St. Petersburg Times. The report also says Bollea — who was cited for operating a vehicle with a breath-alcohol level of .02 percent or higher, among other infractions — told police he didn't know what road he was traveling on or in which direction, and that he had been driving 30 or 40 mph. Earlier this month, Bollea was charged with reckless driving in the crash that critically injured his friend and passenger John Graziano, who suffered a broken skull and has been comatose since the accident. ...

Ex-Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle was arrested Tuesday for not properly registering as a sex offender — the second time he's been busted for not doing so — according to The Associated Press. The musician (real name: Thomas Delmer Pyle) — who in 1993 pleaded guilty to charges of attempted capital sexual battery by an adult on a victim younger than 12, among other charges — is being held on $50,000 bond at a jail in Florida after being arrested at one of three addresses he gave to police. On November 19, Pyle was arrested on the same charge after he didn't register a new permanent address. The address on Pyle's driver's license reportedly doesn't belong to him — the musician has a house in North Carolina but has told police he wants to register at an address in Florida. Pyle left Skynyrd in 1992 after playing with the band for 17 years. ...

Jennifer Love Hewitt got engaged to boyfriend Ross McCall, a Scottish actor, last week during a trip to Maui, according to UsMagazine.com. A date reportedly hasn't been announced yet for the "Ghost Whisperer" star's wedding.

11.28.07

Lindsay Lohan was dealt a setback Wednesday (November 28) when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled her deposition in an ongoing lawsuit can be videotaped, according to TMZ.com. The site says Judge Michael Stern ruled that Raymundo Ortega, who is suing the starlet for $200,000 in damages stemming from an October 2005 car crash, can videotape Lohan's deposition as part of his lawsuit against her. Her lawyers had argued against the motion, saying such a videotape would sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Last month, Lohan countersued Ortega, who has accused her of negligence and drinking when she hit his parked van in West Hollywood, California. A trial date for both suits is set for April 7. Also in October, Britney Spears landed a courtroom win last month when a judge ruled that her pending deposition in her child-custody case will not be videotaped. ...

John Legend is one event-full dude. He appears on one of the covers of Black Enterprise's December issue, has a TV concert special on the way and is also booked to co-host the kickoff party at this year's Florida Entertainment Summit, which begins Thursday and ends Sunday. Rick Ross, DJ Khaled and others are also participating in the summit. ... The Killers have presented fans with a new Christmas charity single, the successor to last year's "A Great Big Sled." All proceeds from "Don't Shoot Me, Santa," which was made available Tuesday as a digital download, are going to Bono's (RED) campaign, as "Big Sled" proceeds did last year. They've shot a video for the track too. ...

"High School Musical" fans can breathe a little easier — Zac Efron will be back for the third flick, according to Us Weekly. Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale were reportedly confirmed for "High School Musical 3" earlier this month, and the magazine quotes director Kenny Ortega as saying, "All of the original cast will be back." But, he added, "I have a feeling this will be the end [for the current stars]. This franchise may move to another generation!" Hudgens also commented on the upcoming flick, saying, "It's their senior year, so there's going to be graduation — and prom!," according to the magazine. ...

Autographed materials and other swag items relating to Foo Fighters, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Mayer, Bruce Springsteen, the Killers, Metallica, Stevie Wonder, Slash, Bright Eyes, Beck, the Flaming Lips, Feist, the Arcade Fire, Marilyn Manson, the Rolling Stones and a fleet of other artists will be up for bidding at the 19th annual Rock for Kids Charity Auction, which will take place Friday in Chicago. Rock for Kids gives free music lessons to underprivileged kids in the Chicago area. ... And Incubus are hoping to inject their Make Yourself Foundation charity with an influx of cash via a new auction of their own. The band has put more than 50 items up for bid on eBay, including Brandon Boyd's 2006 Mini Cooper, a custom Xbox, sneakers, a pool cue and more. Incubus have so far raised more than $600,000 for their nonprofit this year. ...

Alicia Keys has been tapped to co-host "My Night at the Grammys," a two-hour special hyping the upcoming awards show. The CBS special will also feature Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Billie Joe Armstrong, Beyoncé, Bono, Ricky Martin and Usher sharing their Grammy memories, with Melissa Etheridge and Faith Hill also co-hosting. "My Night" will air at 8 p.m. on Friday, while the awards ceremony itself will take place February 10 at Los Angeles' Staples Center. ... Think you're the perfect match for Bow Wow or Omarion? The guys are launching a contest in which two winners will score a dinner date with them. To enter, contestants have to make a 30-second video of themselves explaining why they would be the perfect "Wifey" for either Bow or O, and submit it here. The winners will also get autographed copies of the two's December 11 album, Face Off, which they're celebrating with a day-of appearance at Circuit City on Fifth Avenue and 43rd Street in New York. The first 500 people to buy the album at the location will get a wristband allowing entry to the autograph signing. ...

Unreleased tracks by Nas, Rihanna, Fabolous, Method Man, Redman, Bobby Valentino and Ne-Yo are being compiled onto Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1, due December 18. The so-called "ultimate bonus track collection," as a press release dubs it, features leftover cuts from the artists' latest albums and includes Nas' "The N ..." and "Where Y'All At" (from the Hip Hop Is Dead sessions); Rihanna's "Haunted" and "Cry" (Good Girl Gone Bad); Fab's "I Shine, You Shine" and "Chirp Back" (From Nothin' to Somethin'); Meth's "OD" (4:21 ... the Day After); Red's "F--- Da Security" and "Let's Go" (Red Gone Wild: Thee Album); Valentino's "Wreck" and "Let's Go" (Special Occasion); and Ne-Yo's "That's What It Does" and "Spotlight" (Because of You). ... Free agent Joe Budden previewed selections from his forthcoming independent album/mixtape, Mood Muzik 3: It's About to Get Worse, on Tuesday night at New York night spot the Plumm. The recently liberated Def Jam artist was on hand, as were rappers Joell Ortiz and Benzino. The first two installments of the Mood Muzik series were more acerbic, but the sharp-tongued MC still delivers a few lyrical uppercuts on the new disc, such as on "Ventilation": "I'm looking in his casket like he had no face/ I was at a loss for words like 'Fiascogate.' " ...

It's been almost a year since Brandy was involved in a multi-car freeway crash that claimed the life of a woman, and since the singer hasn't been charged yet, she could wind up in the clear, according to TMZ.com. The window of opportunity for the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office to file charges expires December 30, on the first anniversary of the accident — the site reports that the office is planning to wait until the last minute to make its decision. ... Yahoo and AOL might scrap their Internet radio services following a 38 percent increase in royalties to air music, according to Bloomberg.com. SoundExchange, which represents artists and labels, started collecting the mandated increased fees in July, after which Yahoo and AOL stopped directing users to their radio sites. Yahoo's Launchcast saw an 11 percent drop in the number of people using the service, while AOL Radio's audience took a 10 percent plunge. ...

Magnetic Fields, Mountain Goats, Blitzen Trapper and Cursive fans, make some noise ... the bands are anchoring the lineup for next year's Noise Pop festival. The 16th installment of San Francisco's indie-rock gala will happen February 26-March 2 and also feature Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan's Gutter Twins, whose Saturnalia debut is due in stores March 4. The Twins have also booked a Valentine's Day gig at New York's Bowery Ballroom. ... A Perfect Circle mastermind Billy Howerdel's new project, Ashes Divide, are targeting March for the release of their yet-untitled debut. He produced and engineered the effort in Los Angeles, playing all guitar, bass and keyboard parts. Drumming was handled by Josh Freese, another APC vet, and Alan Moulder (Nine Inch Nails, the Killers) engineered the disc. ... The Black Lips are hoping their 2007 hype carries over into next year: The Atlanta garage-rockers — or "flower punks," as they prefer to call themselves — are plotting a tour that will run from February 1 in Denver through March 22 in Atlanta. ...

Controversial hip-hop shock jock Troi "Star" Torain announced his return to the radio airwaves on Wednesday at a press conference held at Bryant Park Hotel in New York. Toran, who hosted top-rated morning shows at Hot 97 and Power 105 before unceremoniously departing from both stations amid clashes with management and disputes with a number of contemporaries — including Dame Dash and DJ Envy — will make his return as a part of the new independent station Pulse 87 (87.7). The Top 40 station will premiere in early January, followed by the debut of the new "Star & Buc Wild" show. ...

Natavia Lowery, the former personal assistant of ex-Ramones co-manager Linda Stein, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to Stein's murder. The Associated Press reported that Lowery, who initially denied knowing anything about the brutal slaying of Stein — who was found facedown in a pool of blood in her $3 million Fifth Avenue apartment on October 30 after her head and neck had been struck a half-dozen times — blamed a masked man at first, according to newly revealed court documents. But in a signed statement, Lowery claimed that Stein blew marijuana smoke in her face, brandished a cane and made derogatory remarks about black people. "I snatched the cane and hit her repeatedly with it," said Lowery, who is black. Her attorney said outside court that police coerced a false confession from his client by grilling her in an interrogation room for 12 hours and that the purported murder weapon has not been found. Police said surveillance tapes show Lowery leaving Stein's apartment shortly after the assault. ...

The Ozzy Osbourne pre-concert sting that was staged last month in Fargo, North Dakota — and resulted in dozens of arrests — is continuing to pay off for the police. According to North Dakota news site KXNet.com, Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney is selling T-shirts cops wore in the raid and using the money to raise money for the United Way. During the Halloween Eve sting, which was disguised as an Osbourne party, police wore "security" tees that featured a festive Halloween skull, and the image of a sheriff's-badge star could be seen in its right eye socket. "The T-shirt just became the image and look of what happened with that event, and people wanted one," Laney said, according to the site. "Initially we weren't going to do anything with it, but as I thought about it, I thought, 'Hey, what a way to give back to the community through something that happened — something positive.' So we'll give [every] penny raised to the United Way." ... In even more unusual Osbourne news, his wife, Sharon, made a macabre revelation on "Extra" on Monday — they have a suicide pact in place in the event that either she or her husband faces a terminal illness. "[When] you know you're going to die, we would want to choose the time where we want to leave," she said. "I would go with my old man, and he would come with me." But, Sharon added, "Not if it's in the next five years." She also addressed her feud with Courtney Love, saying that she can't address her allegations that the rocker hooked her son, Jack Osbourne, on drugs because the situation is "now in legal hands, so we can't talk about it, because it's gone to that stage."

• Radiohead
• Amy Winehouse
• Lil Wayne
• Cee-Lo
• Ozzy Osbourne

Floetry's Marsha Ambrosius
Photo: Greg Delman

When you're one of the biggest producers of all time, you can afford to keep trying something until you get it right. So Dr. Dre — undeterred by his previous attempts to release a blockbuster R&B album — apparently has his eye on another singing act: Marsha Ambrosius of Floetry.

In November, Floetry performed two shows at the Roxy in West Hollywood, California, drawing the likes of Dre and even Prince. The producer was so taken with Marsha's singing that night that she says he offered her a solo deal shortly after.

"I'm absolutely ... I'm in shock," Ambrosius said earlier this week. "It shows all dreams are real. It's one of those situations where I'd be a fool to pass it up. The idea was posed to my manager and he said, 'The offer is laid out on the table. What do you want to do?' I figured [I'm] 28 years old, I came over to the U.S. [from the U.K.] on a whim that something might happen, I'm already three albums deep with Floetry. That's already made its mark and is something that will remain. I would genuinely be a fool not to do it. Anybody would."

A spokesperson for Aftermath confirmed that Dre has worked with the singer, but no deal to bring her to the imprint is official as of yet.

Though Dre is not exactly known for dabbling in Floetry's brand of neo-soul, Marsha has no doubt the alliance will work. "We've spoken [about how] the difference between our musicianship is evident, yet the marriage will be perfect and there will be no mistakes," she said. "There's no harm in me collaborating with someone of that caliber and creating some magic. That will happen."

The two have already been recording, the singer said. "When we met that week after the Roxy show, we were supposed to talk about ideas for the project. He played me some beats and I ended up writing a song and recording it in an hour. The chemistry was immediate. It was an [uptempo record], the beat was crazy."

50 Cent happened to be in the studio that day as well and jumped on the record. Ambrosius said she's not sure if the version with 50 will end up on her album, or if the song will even be on the album at all. It's still early, and the LP probably won't be out until next year, she said.

"My message will still be personal, it's still one and the same," she added. "It's still 'Say Yes' and 'Butterflies' and 'Getting Late' and the songs I had written. It's just me as myself; a 28-year-old woman coming into her own. You're gonna get your ballads, your mids, your ups. It's going to be a consistent album."

Floetry fans shouldn't be scared just because Martha is going solo. She says her partnership with Natalie Stewart is still intact and that they're going on at least two more tours this year. One tour is scheduled for April, and they'll be part of package deal in the summer. Mary J. Blige is one person they've been talks with. The duo also have plans to shoot a video for "Lay Down," the next single off Flo'Ology.

"Floetry is always going to be Floetry, regardless if Nat does her album or I do my album," Ambrosius insisted. "I'm still the songstress from Floetry."

For her solo LP, the songbird also wants to work with producers Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and the tandem of Dre & Vidal. "That would be enough for me," she giggled. "I don't ask for much. I dream for much, and sometimes they come true."

• Floetry

"Get Rich or Die Tryin' " soundtrack
Photo: Interscope

Most other weeks, hip-hop's most valuable player would have scored a third seat at the top of Billboard's albums chart, but the G-Unit-heavy soundtrack to 50 Cent's film debut, "Get Rich or Die Tryin'," landed on record-store shelves the same week that Kenny Chesney's The Road and the Radio was unleashed for mass consumption.

Chesney's The Road and the Radio finished its first week out with over 469,000 copies sold, besting "Get Rich" by more than 150,000 copies and earning the country star his biggest-selling opener. The Road is the former Mr. Renée Zellweger's 10th LP, and the third to debut at #1 on Billboard's albums chart.

Second place isn't all that bad, though. Sure, the "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " soundtrack — featuring new material from 50 as well as longtime collaborators Tony Yayo, Young Buck, Olivia and Lloyd Banks — failed to duplicate the success of the rapper's 2003 debut of the same name (which opened at #1 with more than 872,000 in sales) and couldn't hold a candle to 2005's The Massacre (which also debuted on top with more than 1.1 million copies sold). But according to the latest SoundScan figures, 50's failure to swipe Billboard's crown wasn't for a lack of tryin': the album scored first-week sales of more than 317,000, securing the disc a comfortable #2 finish.

Only two other artists managed to crack this week's top 10 with new releases. Neil Diamond's Rick Rubin-helmed 12 Songs netted sales of nearly 93,000 to take Billboard's #4 slot, and Flo'Ology, the third studio LP from neo-soul duo Floetry, opens as the chart's #7 with just under 77,000 copies sold.

Last week's #1, the 20th installment in the Now That's What I Call Music! franchise — featuring hits from Black Eyed Peas, Franz Ferdinand, the Pussycat Dolls, Destiny's Child, Fall Out Boy and others — falls two spots to #3, with over 221,000 copies sold. Nickelback's All the Right Reasons slips two spaces to #5 with week-six sales of 92,000 and change, while Black Eyed Peas' Monkey Business follows at #6 with sales of 84,000. Santana's All That I Am drops from #2 to #8 with week-two scans of 73,000. Destiny's Child's #1's falls to #9 and Kelly Clarkson's Breakaway climbs to #10, both albums earning sales of just over 56,000.

There were a number of newcomers to the Billboard 200 this week, including the debut offering from crunk freshmen D4L, Down 4 Life, which takes the chart's #22 spot after moving over 36,000 copies. After Taxes, the new one from Sheek Louch, is close behind at #23 with just 300 fewer discs sold. Reggaetón duo Wisin & Yandel's Pa'l Mundo opens at #30 with nearly 30,000 sales. Young Buck's T.I.P. debuts at #40 with over 26,000 sold.

Beastie Boys' Solid Gold Hits and Limp Bizkit's Greatest Hitz both make Billboard debuts. The Beasties pop up at #42 with 26,000 in sales, while Fred Durst's troupe takes #47 with 23,000 copies sold. The Bizkit's most recent studio offering, The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1), fared a bit better when it debuted six months ago, opening at #24 with 37,000 in sales.

Aerial, iconic songstress Kate Bush's first studio LP in over a decade, opens at #48 with nearly 23,000 copies sold, while Scab Dates, the Mars Volta's first official live release, debuts at #76 with close to 16,000 scans. Relient K's Apathetic EP takes Billboard's #94 spot with close to 13,000 copies sold. The band's Mmhmm also experienced a 70 percent sales boost, reappearing on the chart after a four-week sabbatical at #154 with sales of over 8,000. Africa Unite: The Singles Collection, a Bob Marley and the Wailers retrospective, debuts at #101 with 12,000 copies sold, and the Eurythmics' Ultimate Collection takes #116 with 11,000 scans.

Music From 'The O.C.' Mix 5, featuring tracks by the Subways, Kasabian, the Shout Out Louds, Of Montreal, Gorillaz and the Kaiser Chiefs, debuts at #108 with sales of over 11,000, while Cyndi Lauper's The Body Acoustic follows at #112 with just 17 fewer copies sold. Nonpoint's To The Pain opens at #147 with nearly 9,000 sales.

• 50 Cent
• G-Unit
• Kenny Chesney
• Floetry
• Sheek Louch

Britney Spears gets In the Zone this week with her latest album, which features the lead single "Me Against the Music" co-starring her new gal pal Madonna. Also on the album are sexier songs like "Breathe on Me" and "Touch of My Hand," about the time-honored subject of masturbation.

Blink-182's new, untitled (not self-titled) album features their newfound maturity — or, rather, an absence of deliberate immaturity — as well as the single "Feeling This." The CD also comes with a bonus DVD that includes six new videos.

Tori Amos' Tales of a Librarian hits collection features all the classics plus two previously unreleased tracks, "Angels" and "Snow Cherries From France." Meanwhile, the Flaming Lips release Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell, and Cyndi Lauper drops At Last, a covers album of songs like Etta James' "At Last" and Dionne Warwick's "Walk on By." Biz Markie's Weekend Warrior features guest appearances by DJ Jazzy Jeff on "Tear Sh-- Up," P. Diddy on "Do Your Thang," and Erick Sermon on "Not a Freak."

Ashanti's Christmas features holiday hits like "Silent Night," "Joy to the World," and "Winter Wonderland," while Whitney Houston's One Wish: The Holiday Album takes care of the rest: "Little Drummer Boy," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" and a "Deck the Halls/Silent Night" medley.

Next up is Let It Be ... Naked. No, it's not a track from Britney's new album; it's the Beatles' Let It Be presented as the band intended, stripped of Phil Spector's over-the-top production. A bonus disc of Beatles studio banter and a booklet featuring historical photography of the recording session accompany the release.

And finally, three albums from the what-you-see-is-what-you-get files: Moby's 18 B Sides delivers exactly what it says it will, Linkin Park's Live in Texas was recorded during this year's Summer Sanitarium Tour, and the Dave Mathew's Band's The Central Park Concert is a three-disc set.

Out Tuesday, November 18:

• 112 - Hot & Wet (Def Soul/Bad Boy)
• Tori Amos - Tales of a Librarian: A Tori Amos Collection (Atlantic)
• Ashanti - Ashanti's Christmas (Murder Inc.)
  Read: "Ashanti Wants To Rock Wit U This Christmas With Holiday LP"
• Badawi - Clones & False Prophets (ROIR)
• The Beatles - Let It Be ... Naked (Capitol)
• Biz Markie - Weekend Warrior (Tommy Boy)
• Blink-182 - untitled (Universal)
  Read: "Blink-182 Tone Down Pranks, Get Down To Real 'Action' On Next LP"
  Buy Now: Blink-182 (Universal)
• Bolides - Science Under Pressure (Dionysus)
• Burden Brothers - Buried in Your Black Heart (Trauma)
• Cex - Maryland Mansions (Jade Tree)
• Clear Horizon - Clear Horizon (Kranky)
• Matthew Dear - Leave Luck to Heaven (Ghostly/Spectral)
• Defiance - Nothing Lasts Forever (Punk Core)
• Duvall - Volume & Density (Asian Man)
• Esham - Repentance (Psychopathic)
• Flaming Lips - Ego-Tripping at the Gates of Hell (EP, Reprise)
• Floetry - Floacism (DreamWorks)
  Read: "Floetry Trick Lovesick Label Into Releasing Mos Def Song"
• Flying Luttenbachers - Systems Emerge From Complete Disorder (Troubleman Unlimited)
• Michael Giacchino- "Alias" soundtrack (Varèse Sarabande)
• Al Green - I Can't Stop (Blue Note)
• Hanoi Rocks - Twelve Shots on the Rocks (Liquor and Poker)
• Ben Harper - Live at the Hollywood Bowl (EP, Virgin)
• Corey Harris - Mississippi to Mali (Rounder)
• Whitney Houston - One Wish: The Holiday Album (Arista)
• Cyndi Lauper - At Last (Daylight/Epic)
• Linkin Park - Live in Texas (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Linkin Park Do Surgery On Their Songs, Not Their Singer, In 'Texas' "
  Buy Now: Live in Texas (Warner Bros.)
  
• The Marsalis Family - A Jazz Celebration (Marsalis Music/Rounder)
• Dave Matthews Band - The Central Park Concert (RCA)
  Read: "Dave Matthews Band Salutes New York's Finest At Benefit Show"
• Maxeen - Maxeen (SideOneDummy)
• John Mayall - 70th Birthday Concert (Spitfire)
• Reba McEntire - Room to Breathe (MCA Nashville)
• Minders - The Future Is Always Perfect (Future Farmer)
• Moby - 18 B Sides (V2)
• Moe - Seasons Greetings From Moe (Fat Boy)
• Most Precious Blood - Our Lady of Annihilation (Trustkill)
• Mountaineers - Messy Century (Mute)
• National Eye - The Meter Glows (Feel)
• David Newman - "The Cat in the Hat" soundtrack (Decca)
• John Ottman - "Gothika" soundtrack (Varèse Sarabande)
• Porest - Prude Juice for the Heritage Swinger (Seeland)
• Pulses - Little Brothers (EP, Dirtnap)
• QED - Mobius (DKE)
• LeAnn Rimes - Greatest Hits (Curb)
• Dean Roberts - Be Mine Tonight (Kranky)
• The Rum Diary - Poisons That Save Lives (Substandard)
• Seekonk - For Barbara Lee (Kimchee)
• Slick Shoes - The Biggest and the Best (Tooth & Nail)
• Britney Spears - In the Zone (Jive)
  Read: "Britney Album Preview: Sex, Sex and More Sex"
  Buy Now: In the Zone (Jive)
• Spits - The Spits (Dirtnap)
• Thought Riot - Sketches of Undying Will (A-F)
• Timbaland & Magoo - Under Construction Part II (Universal)
• Tristeza - Espuma (EP, Gravity)
• Under Pressure - Still No Future (Sound Pollution)
• The Usaisamonster - Tasheyana Compost (Load)
• Mike Whellans - Almost 42nd Street (Temple)
• Wretched Ones - Less Is More (TKO)
• Year Future - Year Future (EP, Gold Standard Laboratories)
• Yellowman - New York (Sanctuary)
• Various artists - The Amos House Collection, Vol. III (Wishing Tree)
• Various artists - "The Boy From Oz" soundtrack (Decca)
• Various artists - "Fame: On 42nd Street" soundtrack (Q)
• Various artists - It's Still Okay to Dream: Save the Children (Atlantic)
• DVD: CKY - Infiltrate-Destroy-Rebuild (Island)
• DVD: Kelly Clarkson - Miss Independent (RCA)
• DVD: Ben Harper - Live at the Hollywood Bowl (Virgin)
• DVD: Stanley Jordan - Live in Montreal (Image Entertainment)
• DVD: Jennifer Lopez - Reel Me (Epic)
• DVD: Linkin Park - "Live in Texas" (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Linkin Park Do Surgery On Their Songs, Not Their Singer, In 'Texas' "
• DVD: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Lyve: The Vicious Cycle Tour (Sanctuary)
• DVD: Dave Matthews Band - "The Central Park Concert" (RCA)
  Read: "Dave Matthews Band Salutes New York's Finest At Benefit Show"
• DVD: Stacie Orrico - There's Gotta Be More to Life (ForeFront/Virgin)
• DVD: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Live at Slane Castle (Warner Bros.)
• DVD: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - Live in Barcelona (Columbia)
• DVD: They Might Be Giants - Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns) (Plexifilm/Bonfire)
• DVD: Shania Twain - Up! Live in Chicago (Mercury Nashville)
• DVD: U2 - U2 Go Home: Live From Slane Castle, Ireland (Interscope/Island)
• DVD: Various artists - Concert for George (Dark Horse/Rhino Home Video)

Out Friday, November 21:

• Korn - Take a Look in the Mirror (Sony)
  Read: "Korn Return To 'Sheer Hate And Anger' For New Album"
  Buy Now: Take a Look in the Mirror (Sony)
  

November 25:

• Missy Elliott- This Is Not A Test! (Elektra)
  Buy Now: This Is Not A Test! (Elektra)
  
• Enrique Iglesias - Seven (Interscope)
  Buy Now: Seven (Interscope)
  
• Nelly Furtado - Folklore (DreamWorks)
  Buy Now: Folklore (DreamWorks)
  
• Madonna - Remixed and Revisited (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Madonna's Got A Brand New Bag — And Britney's In It"
  Buy Now: Remixed and Revisited (Warner Bros.)
  
• No Doubt - The Singles 1992-2003 (Interscope)
  Read: "No Doubt To Tell Fans 'It's My Life' "
  Buy Now: The Singles 1992-2003 (Interscope)
  
• Puddle of Mudd - Life on Display (Geffen)
  Read: "Next Puddle Of Mudd LP Will Have Heartfelt, 'Super Heavy' Songs"
  Buy Now: Life on Display (Geffen)
  
• Rage Against the Machine - Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium (Sony)
  Read: "Rage Against The Machine's Final Concerts Hitting CD, DVD In November"
  

December 2:

• Alicia Keys - Diary of Alicia Keys (J)
  Read: "Alicia Keys Mulls Over First Single; Nas Predicts Saddam Misfortune On New Track"

December 9:

• Ryan Adams - Love Is Hell, Part 2 (Lost Highway)
  Read: "Ryan Adams Becomes ' Plaque On The Teeth Of Al-Country' With "
  
• Nick Cannon - Nick Cannon (Jive)
  Read: "B2K, Nick Cannon 'Feelin' Freaky' On Collabo"
  Buy Now: Nick Cannon (Jive)
  
• Kelis - Tasty (Arista)
  Read: "Kelis Turning Heads Again With Her Tasty 'Milkshake' "
  
• Ruben Studdard - Soulful (RCA)
  Read: "R. Kelly, Missy Elliott Working On Ruben Studdard's Soulful Debut"

January 6:

• Justin Timberlake - Live From London (BMG)
• DVD: Coldplay - Unauthorized (Music Video Dist.)

• Britney Spears
• blink-182
• Floetry
• Linkin Park
• Dave Matthews Band

Floetry
Photo: MTV News

LOS ANGELES — When Floetry's new single featuring Mos Def is released in a few weeks, the song will be called "Wanna Be Where You Are." However, for Natalie Stewart and Marsha Ambrosius, the tune will always be known by a different title.

"We called it 'This Is a Love Song' because [on] our first album there are a lot of songs that we wanted to get out to the people, and our record company wanted to put out all the ballads," Stewart explained Sunday at the Shortlist concert (see "Irish Singer Damien Rice Wins Shortlist Music Prize"). "OK, fine, whatever. We love all the songs on our album. So we decided to call it a love song so [they would] put it out."

Floetry's label, of course, caught on, but plans to release the song anyway. The duo and Mos Def are gathering next week with director Nzingha Stewart (Ol' Dirty Bastard, Common) to shoot the video. "It's a live, party vibe," Ambrosius said. "It's gonna be really full of energy."

"We spent a lot of time communicating about where we wanted it to go," Stewart added. "Really, you know, we're pretty sick of being told who our audience is. ... We're very much into reaching out and saying, 'Hello, we're here and we're available to everyone, not only to neo-soul-heads.' "

"Wanna Be Where You Are" is one of four new studio tracks featured on the group's Floetry Live LP, due November 18 (see "Live Floetry Album Will Include New Cuts, DVD").

After working with Mos Def on the song, Floetry are feeling inspired to seek other collaborators for their next album, which they hope to release in April. Outkast, Macy Gray and Erykah Badu are being considered, but Floetry aren't just interested in them for studio projects.

"There are so many different ways to collaborate," Stewart said. "There's going on tour with people — that's a great collaboration. There's writing songs for [someone] or together [with them]. Being able to pick up the phone and call someone ... and lend some advice. There are so many ways."

• Floetry
• Mos Def

Damien Rice accepts the third annual Shortlist Music Prize
Photo: MTV News

LOS ANGELES — Damien Rice got Shorty.

The Irish singer/songwriter won the third annual Shortlist Music Prize on Sunday, stealing the award's new gold statuette, the Shorty, from higher profile nominees like Floetry and Interpol.

Rice, whose passionate performance earlier in the night entranced the sold-out Wiltern Theatre (click for exclusive photos), was so certain someone else would win that he was on his way out of the venue after the five-hour concert when an organizer suggested he stick around.

In his awkward acceptance speech, Rice set the Shorty on the ground and said the night was about celebrating people who are working really hard on music.

"I felt like the record we made was selfish and really just for us," Rice explained, sitting with his band after the event. "It's odd being selected or nominated, but very nice, I guess. The main thing for me that I want to continue is to forget about everybody else and make the next record that we're making just for ourselves again, because there's something about being in a space where you're not thinking of other people. You're just in a moment creating music and emotion and in a space with people you feel comfortable with. And that for me is the essence of what it is that we've done and what it is we do."

The Shortlist Music Prize — which carries with it a $5,000 check and went to N.E.R.D. last year (see "N.E.R.D. Win Shortlist Prize") — is modeled after the U.K.'s prestigious Mercury Music Prize, except the judges are fellow musicians and artists rather than simply journalists.

This year's panel included the Neptunes, Chris Martin, Flea, Erykah Badu, Perry Farrell, Dave Matthews, Josh Homme, Mos Def, the Chemical Brothers, Tori Amos, Tom Waits and directors Cameron Crowe and Spike Jonze, all of whom voted by absentee ballot at Sunday's Listmaker dinner, where the winner was chosen. Past Shortlist supporters Beck, the Roots' Ahmir
"?uestlove" Thompson, Macy Gray and Dan "the Automator" Nakamura, along with newcomer Musiq, attended the dinner.

Since the Shortlist Prize is designed for emerging artists, any album that has sold more than 500,000 copies is ineligible when the long list is compiled in the summer. The original list, which consists of about 100 albums, is narrowed down to 10, the coveted Shortlist. Before the award was presented, eight of the 10 acts on the Shortlist performed. Sigur Ros, who won the inaugural Shortlist Prize, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were nominated but could not perform because of other commitments.

In his five-song set, Rice played four songs from his winning O before closing with the B-side "Woman Like a Man." The single "Volcano," which showcased Vyvienne Long's cello chops, was a standout, but the crowd favorite was certainly "Cold Water." Before the song, Rice explained it was about breaking off an imaginary relationship, but the laughs ended as soon as Lisa Hannigan's satin voice began. The mood changed again when Rice took over, exploding in a rage that was both frightening and inspiring.

The Streets opened the show with British rapper Mike Skinner rhyming over DJ tracks in between sipping on a bottle of champagne. The perpetual partier seemed a bit out of place in the early time slot, but the crowd danced along. Chan Marshall, a.k.a. Cat Power, looked a little uncomfortable as well, her issue being the size of the theater. The club veteran made things more comfortable, however, when she meandered out into the crowd as she sang old soul standards.

Bright Eyes were the first full band to take the stage, destroying the barebones vibe with a loud, sometimes chaotic blend of 13 performers, including two drummers. Even with all that going on, singer Conor Oberst managed to keep all attention on his distinct croon. Before ending with a show-stealing "Let's Not Sh-- Ourselves," Oberst went on a rant about playing in a Clear Channel-owned venue, something the band tries to avoid. "I'd like to draw a line in the sand and say you're either with us or against us," he said. His fans answered by screaming every word to the song. One even crashed the staged and bowed on his knees until security removed him.

The Black Keys' show looked smaller, which just guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney onstage, but the sound was just as huge, blending elements of traditional blues with Jimi Hendrix-style guitar rock. Chestnutt followed with a spirited set of rock and soul, featuring "The Seed" and other tracks from his Headphone Masterpiece. Floetry's show was equally soulful, but with a hip-hop flavor similar to the Fugees.

Interpol closed the show with six songs from the band's acclaimed debut, including favorites "NYC," "PDA" and "Obstacle 1." The Joy Division-inspired tunes had fans dancing, but after nearly five hours of music, some showed a look that seemed to say, "Just announce the damn winner already."

"I don't think you can call it the Shortlist anymore, 'cause we've all been here for four f---ing hours now," Macy Gray joked at one point.

A more condensed version of the evening, including interviews and a sneak peak into the Listmaker dinner, will air October 25 on MTV2.

• Damien Rice
• Floetry
• Interpol
• The Black Keys
• Cat Power

Floetry
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — Floetry are in motion on a proper follow-up to the acclaimed Floetic, but in the meantime the R&B/hip-hop duo will release four new studio songs on a live CD.

"We haven't really recorded since we made the album ... in three weeks in 2000," rapper Natalie Stewart said, dressed in a "Jesus Is My Homeboy" T-shirt at this year's MTV VMA Radio Forum. "Now we have an audience and we're putting these songs on there just to let everyone know what's happened in that space of time, and we're trying to get another album out in February."

Floetry Live, due November 18, will include a bonus DVD of footage from a July 3 show at the House of Blues in New Orleans. At least one of the new studio songs will be released as a single, possibly one featuring Mos Def. A live track may also be released.

"The problem we had with the first album was really selecting what singles to have — we love all of them," singer Marsha Ambrosius said. "We love our album. We really care about everything."

Since Floetic was released last fall, the British pair have garnered several awards, including three Soul Train Lady of Soul trophies. The album is also among the 10 finalists for the Shortlist Music Prize.

"It means an awful lot, especially when you've got your head down and you're working and putting 150 percent in and you really care, even the stuff people don't understand," Stewart said.

• Floetry

Floetry
Photo: Dreamworks

Neo-soul duo Floetry have certainly made an impact on American R&B audiences despite the fact the two ladies were born in England. Floetry earned top honors when the 9th annual Lady of Soul Awards nominations were announced Thursday in Los Angeles.

The pair led the pack with four nominations, including a nod for R&B/Soul Album of the Year for their debut effort, Floetic, and R&B/Soul Single of the Year for "Say Yes."

Erykah Badu, a past winner at the Lady of Soul Awards, was nominated three times for her single "Love of My Life," the soft-spoken song from the "Brown Sugar" soundtrack. And there's one award Badu will definitely win this year: the honorary achievement Aretha Franklin Award for Entertainer of the Year.

Other nominees for this year's Awards include Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, Heather Headley, Vivian Green, 702 and TLC.

The Lady of Soul Awards will be broadcast live from Pasadena, California, on August 23. Arsenio Hall, Aisha Tyler, Tyrese and Heather Headley will host.

• Floetry
• Erykah Badu
• Missy Elliott
• Heather Headley
• Vivian Green

Beyoncé Knowles, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott are among the artists set to perform at the 16th annual Essence Awards June 6 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Talib Kweli, Common, New Edition, Lionel Richie and the Gap Band will also take the stage at the event, which this year will honor Mary J. Blige and Mos Def. ...

Rapping and acting just don't seem to be enough for some MCs. Today's well-rounded rhymers must get into the threads game as well. Ludacris, who'll be seen in "2 Fast 2 Furious," expects his clothing line, C.P. Time, to launch by the end of the year. ... R&B duo and two-time BET Award nominees Floetry are working on their new album, the follow-up to last year's Floetic. Meanwhile, Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart have thus far recorded two songs with soul diva Patti LaBelle for her album, and are planning to collaborate with 3LW in the summer for theirs. Floetry have six tour dates lined up, from June 7 in their hometown Philadelphia through July 5 in Los Angeles. ...

If you're a girl in Portland, Oregon, you too can now say, "This one time, at band camp ...": The third annual Rock 'N' Roll Camp for Girls, a day camp to familiarize 8 to 18-year-old females with the power of rock, will take place from June 16 to 21. This year, workshops, performances and instruction will be conducted by members of Sleater-Kinney, the King Cobra, DJ Pam the Funkstress of the Coup, the Gossip, the Quails, Cherchez la Femme and Queen Size Revolution. Girls will learn to play instruments, form bands, run sound boards, produce shows, design CD packaging and posters and develop self-defense skills. A showcase of bands formed at the camp will be held June 21 at the Aladdin Theater. ...

Now that "Para Que la Vida," Enrique Iglesias' latest single off his 2002 Spanish-language album, Quizas, has hit #1 on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks, he now holds the record for the most #1 singles (16) by any artist on that chart. The crooner is currently in the studio working on a new English-language LP, the follow-up to 2001's Escape. ... On Saturday in Hartford, Connecticut, Wayne Wonder and Beenie Man will headline the Greatest One Night Reggae Show on Earth, a multi-artist festival that makes sporadic stops around the country, similar to Reggae Sunsplash in the 1990s. Sanchez, DJ Badda Flexx and Pickey round out the bill. ...

Rooney have scheduled a tour to support their self-titled debut. Dates begin Tuesday (May 20) in Cincinnati and go through June 17 in Anaheim, California. ... Fountains of Wayne will launch a tour in Milwaukee on July 3. Dates run through July 28 in Anaheim, California. The band will be on the road to support its upcoming disc, Welcome Interstate Managers, which comes out June 10. The first single will be "Stacey's Mom," a modern "Mrs. Robinson" with a new wave pulse. ...

Canadian rockers Default are working on their second album, the follow-up to 2001's The Fallout. The band has written at least 11 songs during pre-production in Seattle, and will move up to Vancouver Island to record the LP. The band has a half-dozen shows scheduled June 15-30 in Canada and the northern U.S., where the group is expected to preview some new tunes. ... Former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone has recorded a dozen Teenage Head songs with three of the four members of the early '80s Canadian punk band with longtime Ramones producer Daniel Rey. It's not known what will become of the tracks. ...

Adema have set an August 19 release date for their second full-length album, Unstable, which shares a title with the first single, due on radio in late June. The band will launch a headlining tour to promote the record June 1 in Chico, California, and stay on the road until a Los Angeles show July 12. ... Wu-Tang Clan member Cappadonna will drop his third solo album, The Struggle, in September. Track titles include "Get Away From the Door," which features Inspectah Deck, "Blood Brothers," "Cap Is Back," "Role of a Lifetime," "Season of Da Vick" and "I Don't Even Know You." ...

5.19.03

Ever wonder how the U.S. military is getting Saddam Hussein supporters to cough up valuable information? No, they're not offering them cigarettes and lap dances, they're playing them heavy metal music and children's songs. According to a U.S. sergeant interviewed by Newsweek magazine, Iraqi prisoners have never before heard the crashing rhythms, churning guitars and growling vocals common in metal, and it affects them like Chinese water torture. Songs of choice include Metallica's "Enter Sandman" and Drowning Pool's "Bodies." Also effective is the chirpy, sing-song quality of kiddy tunes, specifically the theme to "Sesame Street" and the music of Barney. ...

Sheryl Crow was among the luminaries who paid homage to the late June Carter Cash at her funeral service this weekend. Crow sang gospel covers along with Emmylou Harris during the ceremony, which was attended by Hank Williams Jr., Trisha Yearwood, Kris Kristofferson and the prime minister of Jamaica. ... Lisa Marie Presley's first tour, a co-headlining trek with Chris Isaak, will begin July 11 at the Fleet Boston Pavilion. The 17-city treks ends August 12 at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. ...

"Platinum," the UPN drama about the hip-hop industry, has not been renewed for the fall season. Onyx rapper Sticky Fingaz starred in the show and MC Lyte was set to be a reoccurring character. ... Ricky Martin has launched People for the Children, a project that aims to fight child pornography and prostitution. The program is an offshoot of the Ricky Martin Foundation, a nonprofit organization that focuses on child-related issues. People for the Children will be based in Miami, and for its first function, Martin will meet with Mexican president Vincente Fox and his wife. ...

Festival promoters in Michigan have canceled a scheduled performance by self-described "Motor City Madman" Ted Nugent in response to the guitarist, singer, shock jock and outspoken outdoorsman's use of racial slurs during a recent radio interview. Nugent reportedly used derogatory terms for Asians and blacks during an interview with two Denver DJs last week, prompting organizers of the Muskegon Summer Celebration to scramble to find a replacement. ... The upcoming "Led Zeppelin DVD" set will be screened at eight movie theaters across the country on May 27, the night it goes to retail. The double-disc set features five hours of footage assembled by guitarist Jimmy Page, who also put together the triple-disc album How the West Was Won, which will come out the same day. Page, vocalist Robert Plant and bassist John Paul Jones will attend the New York screening of the DVD. ...

To commemorate a decade of block rockin' beats, the Chemical Brothers will issue a double-album retrospective and DVD in September. The LP will feature two new songs, rare cuts and remixes, along with a greatest-hits selection that fans can help compile at www.thechemicalbrothers.com. ... Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry unveiled a new guitar on Saturday at the House of Blues in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Gibson Joe Perry Signature model was conceived by Perry's wife Billie, who got together with designers at Gibson to create a surprise axe for her hubby. Last Christmas, she presented him with the instrument, and he liked it so much he decided to make it available to the public. ...

Ed Harcourt will launch a North American club tour June 2 in Los Angeles to promote From Every Sphere (May 20), the follow-up to his Mercury Music Prize-nominated 2002 debut, Here Be Monsters. Harcourt will also be joining R.E.M. on six dates in the fall. ... A hefty dose or rock action has been injected into the third annual Village Voice Siren Music Festival at New York's Coney Island on July 19. Performers added to the already indie-heavy lineup include Idlewild, the Datsuns, the Dirtbombs, Oneida and the Witnesses. Previously announced acts include Modest Mouse, Hot Hot Heat, Sahara Hotnights, dance rockers !!! and Radio 4, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, the Kills, rappers Northern State and the Pattern. While the majority of the lineup is in place, a few stray acts are expected to be announced shortly. ...

INXS aren't as afraid of SARS as Moby, Mariah Carey or the Rolling Stones, and they don't think travelers should be, either. Though numerous acts have canceled gigs in Asia since the health scare began, three members of the long-running Australian outfit played an acoustic gig in Singapore on Sunday in hopes of showing the public that traveling there is still safe. The band has also scheduled an appearance in Bali next month — despite heightened terrorism fears since a recent bombing killed more than 200 people — and told the BBC that "[terrorism and SARS] are a tragedy for any country, but it has been a lot of media hype that has caused the panic." ...

5.16.03

Soul crooner Barry White suffered a stroke on May 1 that affected his speech and the right side of his body, Reuters reports. The 58-year-old White, whose deep, mood-setting voice is as dependable as roses and candy on Valentine's Day, suffered kidney failure last fall and is awaiting a transplant when his condition improves. ...

Jennifer Lopez is being sued for $5 million for breach of contract by film director Adam Shankman, with whom she worked on the film "The Wedding Planner." Shankman claims that he and Lopez talked about having her play the lead role in a new film version of the classic opera "Carmen," but that she then turned around and sold the idea to Universal Pictures without his knowledge. ...

Metallica have chosen some openers for their May shows at San Francisco's Fillmore. CKY, who opened the ill-fated Guns N' Roses tour, will play Sunday; Systematic, who were signed to Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich's record label, will play Monday; and Death Angel, a reunited San Francisco-area '80s thrash band, will play Thursday. No act has been announced for Wednesday's show. ...

The White Stripes have announced dates for the first leg of their upcoming summer tour. Jack and Meg White will kick off the trek June 16 in Raleigh, North Carolina, and wind things down July 23 at Central Park's Summer Stage in New York. ... Several, if not all, of the finished tracks from the new Radiohead album, Hail to the Thief, surfaced online Thursday. Earlier versions of the tunes, purported to be stolen, were downloadable weeks ago. The follow-up to 2001's Amnesiac is slated for a June 10 release. ...

Great White have created a trust fund to which fans can donate money in order to help the group with its legal fees. While the bandmembers were recently dropped from the suits filed by at least one attorney because their pockets aren't deep enough to warrant suing, two other lawyers are still naming the rockers as defendants. There is also the possibility Great White will face criminal charges from the February 20 fire in a West Warwick, Rhode Island, club that ignited after the band shot off pyrotechnics during its show. ... T.A.T.U.'s manager, Ivan Shapovalov, was arrested in Moscow's Red Square on Thursday for disturbing the peace while filming a video for one of the group's new, untitled songs. The crafty manager already had two requests to film the allegedly lesbian duo in front of the Kremlin rejected when he set up cameras and invited 200 girls to parade around and make out in front of Lenin's Tomb and the church of St. Basil, a mere 200 yards from the Kremlin. Filming was scrapped after police intervened. Shapovalov was reprimanded by a judge, but was not punished. ...

On the heels of their split with Island Def Jam earlier this month, Hanson are being courted by two record labels. The brothers are aiming to release their upcoming album, Unleashed, in September. ... Coldplay will broadcast a two-hour live concert from the Hollywood Bowl to over 150 radio stations nationwide on May 31 at 9 p.m. The band launches a North American tour on Tuesday in Edmonton, Alberta. Dates run through June 13 in New York. ... For the first time in more than four years, Blur will cross the pond for a North American trek beginning June 8 at the Field Day festival in Calverton, New York. The 10 confirmed dates, through June 21 in Vancouver, support the band's seventh album, Think Tank, which dropped last week. More dates are expected to be added to the itinerary. ...

Apparently feeling left out from sum of the summer fun, Sum 41 have decided to hop onboard the Vans Warped Tour for eight dates. The group will play on June 29 in Chicago, then July 8 in Pomona, California, through July 15 in Peoria, Arizona. ... Ivories abound when pianists Tori Amos and Ben Folds hit the road together beginning July 26 in Redmond, Washington. The 25-date run, supporting headliner Amos' latest LP, Scarlet's Walk, concludes September 3 in Orlando, Florida. ...

Raekwon is set to star in "The Coalition," a film that tells the story of a lucrative New York construction business and how it is exploited by minority nonunion labor. The movie begins filming in June. ... Wilco, R.E.M., Common, Black Eyed Peas, Macy Gray and Rhett Miller are among the artists headlining the 33rd annual Bumbershoot festival in Seattle. Tickets to the event, taking place over Labor Day weekend at the Seattle Center, can be purchased at www.bumbershoot.com. ...

Ween will release their first studio album in three years, Quebec, on July 22. Fictitious brothers Dean and Gene Ween's follow-up to White Pepper is their first album for Sanctuary Records after residing for over a decade at Elektra. ... Ozzy Osbourne's son Louis Osbourne, a deep house/techno DJ, will embark on a U.S. club tour beginning June 12 at New York's Discotheque and wrapping up July 19 at Hollywood's Spundae. Kelly and Jack's half brother also recently signed on for a DJ mix compilation to be released by Blue Chip Records next year. ...

05.15.03

While Mark Romanek is handling Linkin Park's next video, the band's own Joseph Hahn will return to the director's chair for the group's third single from Meteora. That video and a clip for the next European single will be shot in Prague, Czech Republic next week, Hahn said Tuesday, although he wouldn't reveal what songs they will be for. "You need to focus on 'Faint,' " he joked. "I shouldn't be talking so far ahead." ...

Russian police barred T.A.T.U. from filming their new video in Moscow's Red Square on Thursday (May 15). Several hundred fans, many decked out in schoolgirl uniforms, showed up to be extras in what was supposed to be the duo's video for the Eurovision song contest. Russia chose the kissing crooners to represent the country at the contest, happening later this month in Riga, Latvia. ... Mandy Moore is giving fans a sneak preview of her upcoming covers album, Coverage. Four of the album's 12 tracks are available for listening on her official Web site, www.mandymoore.com. The songs are covers of John Hiatt's "Have a Little Faith in Me," XTC's "Senses Working Overtime," Todd Rundgren's "Can We Still Be Friends" and Joan Armatrading's "Drop the Pilot." Moore is also about to film Warner Bros.' "First Daughter," with co-stars Mark Harmon, Jeremy Piven and Annabella Sciorra. ...

Chevelle have scheduled 14 shows during down days on this year's Ozzfest. Four of the shows will be with Korn, six will be with Disturbed and the rest will be headline gigs. The first date is June 30 in Lubbock, Texas, and the last announced show is August 31 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. ... "Revealing Jewel: An Intimate Portrait by Family and Friends," a book about the personal details of the star's life, is being released in June with her approval. The tome, by author Kenneth Calhoun, features interviews with Moby, Billy Bob Thornton, producer Arif Mardin, Jewel's father, Atz Kilcher, and her mother and manager, Lenedra J. Carroll, among others. ...

All proceeds from Santana's summer tour will be donated to Artists for a New South Africa, an organization dedicated to fighting the spread of AIDS in Africa. The trek starts June 11 in Atlanta and continues through July 14 in Los Angeles. Angelique Kidjo will open every show. ... Henry Rollins is planning to perform material included on the compilation LP he put together last year, Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three, on a world tour kicking off June 1. Joining the Rollins Band on the U.S. dates of the outing will be Keith Morris, leader of the Circle Jerks and original singer for Black Flag. All proceeds from the shows will go to the West Memphis Three Defense Fund, created to help overturn the convictions of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, whom many feel were not given a fair trial in the 1993 murders of three young boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. ...

• Beyoncé
• Mary J. Blige
• Ludacris
• Floetry
• Rooney

Common
Photo: MCA

There probably won't be pyrotechnics or scantily clad back-up dancers at Common's upcoming Electric Circus tour— but with a bill that includes Gang Starr, rap-activist Talib Kweli and Grammy-nominated duo Floetry, special effects won't be necessary. Intelligent rhymes, raw beats and an unmitigated love of hip-hop seem to be a sure bet.

Common will be promoting his new album, Electric Circus, on the tour, which kicks off on February 26 in Washington, D.C., and wraps up in Denver, Colorado, on March 23.

Meanwhile, tourmate Talib Kweli is using the opportunity to further spread the word about his November 2002 release, Quality, as well as his new single, "Get By," for which he just shot a video in Brooklyn with director Jeremy Rall. Kweli recently returned from South Africa, where he shot another video, this time for Les Nubians' new song, "Temperature Rising."

Female R&B duo Floetry will be touring in support of their self-titled debut.

Hip-hop legends Gang Starr have yet to release their new album, The Ownerz (due in March), but they'll give audiences a taste of their new music when they perform the song "Skillz," the first single off the LP.

Common, Talib Kweli, Gang Starr and Floetry tour dates, according to an MCA label spokesperson:

• 2/26 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
• 2/27 - Providence, RI @ Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
• 2/28 - Worcester, MA @ Palladium
• 3/1 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
• 3/2 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Metropole
• 3/4 - Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
• 3/5 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Ballroom
• 3/6 - Detroit, MI @ State Theater
• 3/7 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
• 3/8 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
• 3/9 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
• 3/12 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox
• 3/14 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
• 3/15 - Eugene, OR @ McDonald Theatre
• 3/16 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
• 3/18 - Los Angeles, CA @ House of Blues
• 3/19 - Los Angeles, CA @ House of Blues
• 3/20 - Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
• 3/21 - Phoenix, AZ @ Cajun House
• 3/22 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
• 3/23 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium

• Common
• Gang Starr
• Talib Kweli
• Floetry

MTV.com Exclusive: Floetry Photos 11.09.2005

• Floetry

Timberlake, Black Eyes Peas, More At Avalon Hollywood 02.11.2005

• Justin Timberlake
• Black Eyed Peas
• P!nk
• Floetry
• John Legend

47th Annual Grammy Awards Red Carpet

• Beyoncé
• Kanye West
• Mos Def
• Gwen Stefani
• Black Eyed Peas

The Shortlist Concert

• Floetry
• Bright Eyes
• Cat Power
• The Black Keys
• Damien Rice

Lil' Kim, Ludacris, Monica, Snoop, More On BET Awards Red Carpet

• Lil' Kim
• St. Lunatics
• Roscoe
• Clipse
• Floetry

Alanis, Vanessa Carlton, Robbie Williams, More Rock The Vote

• Alanis Morissette
• Peter Gabriel
• Robbie Williams
• Vanessa Carlton
• Chuck D

• Floetry